The Irish Martyrs Podcast

1642. PHILIP CLERY. (From the MS History of the Irish College, Rome.) [1] Comemorate on 25th October , date of his admission to the Irish College in Rome A PUPIL who died for the faith, Philip Clery, was admitted October 25th 1632.  He left the college on October 3’, 1640, after completing his course of studies both of philosophy and of theology with unusual diligence and success.  He is said to h...

The martyrdom in Connaught of the Franciscan priest John Honan O.S.F. JOHN HONAN, O.S.F. HE was a native of Connaught, a priest, and a member of the Franciscan Order.  After he had spent many years in religion a model to all of every virtue, and had discharged the office of pastor very zealously among the persecuted Catholics of Leinster, he was seized by the English heretics in Dublin and cast in...

After an interval of time Dr. Creagh returned to Ireland.  A war was then raging in Ulster, in which the diocese of Armagh is situated. It had been begun by Shane O’Neill, than the most powerful chief of that province, against Queen Elizabeth.  The Primate and the chief did not agree on a great many matters.  The cause was the Primate’s dissatisfaction at the many hardships which O’Neill had infli...

All IrelandWhile waiting in Belgium for a ship by which he might return to Ireland, he was entertained by a certain priest, a stranger to him, who was supposed to have special grace given him for the relief of energumens. [1] He was called to exorcise a woman, and he was going through the prayers of the ritual bidding the devil to depart from her, and threatening him unless he obeyed immediately,...

He was consecrated, and set out for Ireland, which he reached …. [1]   After a few days’ journey he was seized …, taken to Dublin, then London, and shut up in a narrow cell in the Tower, called the Whale’s Hall. [2]   Later he was taken into a larger, healthier room, where he could breathe more wholesome air, and some light penetrated.  He put his faith in God. His noble courage to endure hardship...

The martyrdom in Connaught of the Franciscan priest John Honan O.S.F. HE was a native of Connaught, a priest, and a member of the Franciscan Order.  After he had spent many years in religion a model to all of every virtue, and had discharged the office of pastor very zealously among the persecuted Catholics of Leinster, he was seized by the English heretics in Dublin and cast into prison.  After s...

. [1] 2(From Rothe’s Analecta, p. 395) 14th Oct He was native of Limerick. His parents, Nicholas Creagh and Joanna White, were persons of good position.  It so happened that Richard in his early years was employed in commerce by his parents, just as St. Francis was.  For some time he was engaged in learning its rudiments, and the way of carrying on a profitable trade in those wares of which the me...

1588. PETER MILLER HE was a native of Wexford, and a Bachelor of Theology. Moved by charity towards the Catholics, he return to Ireland from Spain.  Hardly had he landed at Wexford when he was taken and examined, and being found constant in the faith, by order of the judge he was, after various tortures, hanged and quartered, October 4th, 1588. See also Holing, Rothe, and Copinger.  Please pray fo...

1585. DAME ELEANOR BIRMINGHAM (From Rothe’s Analecta, p.505) She is now popularly known as Margaret Ball  Comemorate on 27th of September , the date of her Beatification  THIS noble lady lived in Dublin.  She was the widow of Bartholomew Baal.  She was worthy of honour, according to the words of St. Paul : ‘Honour widows that are widows indeed, and have learned first to govern their own house and...

1599. JAMES DOWDALL (From Bruodin’s Propugnaculum, p. 467) (A few different dates are given in the narrative I wonder if three different martyrs killed in the same area have been given the name of the known martyr.) HE was a Drogheda merchant, & when returning from France to Ireland he was driven by contrary winds into a harbour in the south of England.  The Mayor questioned him about the spir...

1584.THADDEUS CLANCY (From Bruodin’s Propugnaculum, p. 497.) AMONG the many bold athletes who in the County of Limerick courageously sacrificed their property, and even shed their blood to uphold the ancient Catholic faith, we must mention this brave man.  He was of noble descent, and lord of Ballyrobert. [1] When the teachers of heresy were raging throughout Ireland, he joined with Gerald, Earl o...

1620. JAMES EUSTACE, O.CIST. (From Hartry’s Triumphalia, p. 257.) ON the 8 of September, 1620, the Rev. James Eustace received the crown of martyrdom, and by sufferings on earth like those of his brother in religion Nicholas Fitzgerald, [1] obtained a reward in heaven.  The author says he heard the account of the martyrdom of these two religious from a venerable priest, Richard Kelly, then in the...

The Martyrdom of Fr John Stephens on the 4th of September 1597. THIS priest was a native of Leinster.  He was accused by the heretics of celebrating Mass. [1] He was hanged and quartered by order of the cruel tyrant Marshal Burrowes, and so deserved to obtain a martyr’s crown September 4th, 1597. See also Copinger and Wadding. [1] For that he said Mass to Teig MacHugh.’ Copinger   Please pray for...

NICHOLAS FITZGERALD, O.CIST. (From Hartyr’s Synopsis, p. 251) F. NICHOLAS FITZGERALD, to escape from the cruel persecution, fled to a wood, and lay concealed there.  He was seized in his monastic habit, taken in chains to the city of Dublin, and condemned by the Viceroy, who was never sated with the blood of Catholics, to be hanged, and while half-alive to be quartered.  He endured that manner of...

The martyrdom of Sir Patrick Purcell (From O’Sullevan’s Hist. Cath., p. 294) Comemorate on 31st August , Anniversary of contemporary Archbishop of Cashel, David Kearney, Archbishop from 1603 to 1624 THE murder of Sir Patrick Purcell, knight, worn out by old age, is well known.  In his eightieth year, he was accused of having entertained at supper, in Elizabeth’s time, a Catholic knight who was fig...

PATRICK O’HELY, BISHOP OF MAYO, AND CON O’ROURKE, O.S.F. (From Bouchier’s Hist. De Martyrio FE Ordinis S.F.) DR. O’HELY was a native of Connaught & from his early youth he was devoted to the practice of virtue. He entered the Franciscans, and 5 years after his profession he was sent to Spain, by order of his superiors, that he might pursue his studies at the famous University of AIcalã.  In 15...

The martyrdom in Derry of the Prior Donagh Olvin OP & his priest brother John Olvin [1] O.P. (From De Burgo’s Hib. Dom., p.559) AMONG our Irish martyrs assuredly these may well claim the first place.  They are spoken of at length in the work bearing the title Palma Fidel Ordinis Prœdicatorum composed by the Rev. Father B. Peter Malphæus, OP., prior of Brussels ; viz:’ Donough, alias William, O...

1580. LAURENCE O’MOORE, OLIVER PLUNKETT, AND WILLIAM WALSH LAURENCE O’MOORE was descended from a very ancient and respectable family in Ireland.  He was a priest remarkable for holiness of life, as Sander testifies. [1] When the Spanish General San Jose surrendered the castle of Smerwick, [2] in the western part of Co. Kerry, to Lord Grey, who was the Deputy, the conditions were that the garrison...

Ireland's first known reformation martyr was John Travers. This is the story of his martyrdom. 1535. VENERABLE JOHN TRAVERS [1] , I.O.S.A. (From Bruodin’s Propugnaculum, p. 426) The first of our martyrs in later times mentioned by name, for others no doubt preceded him whose names are written only in the Book of Life, was John Travers, a native of Dublin, a priest of the Order of the Hermits...

STEPHEN PETTIT, O.R [1] (From the Acts of the General Chapter, OP., 1644) Comemmorate 25th July , date of appointment in 1625 of Anthony Martin, contemporary bishop of Meath  WHILST he was encouraging the Catholics in the faith, and in the midst of war and battles was looking to the welfare of their souls and discharging the office of confessor at the same time in a Praiseworthy manner, he was str...

(From Rothe’sAnalecta, p.391) THESE were citizens of Wexford and pious Catholics.  With the aid of some other Catholic sailors, they had secretly carried over to France a certain Father of the Society of Jesus, and some of the priests and laymen who were driven from their native country on account of their faith.  They were seized, put to the torture, and hanged; and when they were only halfdead,...

ROBERT MILLER, [1] EDWARD CHEEVERS, JOHN O’LAHY, AND PATRICK CANAVAN (From Rothe’sAnalecta, p.391) THESE were citizens of Wexford and pious Catholics.  With the aid of some other Catholic sailors,  they had secretly carried over to France a certain Father of the Society of Jesus,  and some of the priests and laymen who were driven from their native country on account of their faith.  They were sei...

The martyrdom in 1617 of Franciscan Thomas Fitzgerald commissary & visitor of the Irish province. (From Bruodin’s Propugnaculum, p.499) HE was descended from the very ancient family of the Earls of Desmond. [1] From his very childhood he was so virtuous that he was considered a saint.  When he was enrolled in the Seraphic Order, not only did he strengthen himself by vows in the virtues which h...

The martyrdom of the Carmelite Thomas Aquinas of Jesus in 1642. (From F. Eusebius’ Enchiridion, p.202) FATHER THOMAS AQUINAS was a distinguished preacher and a zealous missionary, who earned for himself the hatred of the heretics by the assiduity and successful results of his preaching and labours in confirming the oppressed and persecuted Catholics in the faith, and in winning several back who ha...

(From Challoner’s Memoirs, [3] 3.168) JOHN CORNELIUS was born at Bodmin, [4] in Cornwall of Irish parents, & brought up at school in the same town; from whence he was sent to Oxford by Sir John Arundel, who was much taken with his rare genius and diligence in learning.  But Mr. Cornelius, liking the old religion better than the new, left Oxford and went beyond the seas to Rheims (the English c...